Spy chief defends Obama administration
In a statement, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.
weighs in on the deadly assault on the U.S. mission in Libya.
(
by Greg Miller
, The Washington Post)

China’s currency rising against the dollar
The value of China’s yuan closed Friday near a record high against the
dollar, approaching what some analysts consider a fair market price and
potentially easing concerns that the country’s currency policy is
damaging the U.S. economy.
(
by Howard Schneider
, The Washington Post)

Romney attacked on Chinese investments
The Obama campaign says it is inappropriate for a presidential nominee to be investing so much money there.
(
by Philip Rucker and Jia Lynn Yang
, The Washington Post)

BofA to Pay $2.43 Billion to End Shareholder Suit Over Merrill
Bank of America Corp. agreed to a $2.43 billion settlement with
investors who suffered losses during its acquisition of Merrill Lynch
& Co., resolving one of the biggest legal battles to stem from the
takeover.
(
by Zachary Tracer and Bradley Keoun
Bloomberg News
, Bloomberg)

Spy chief defends Obama administration
In a statement, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.
weighs in on the deadly assault on the U.S. mission in Libya.
(
by Greg Miller
, The Washington Post)

Bo Xilai ousted from Communist Party
Once-powerful official, accused of multiple crimes, purged from ranks in advance of leadership transition.
(
by William Wan
, The Washington Post)

June 27, 2011

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS At Fort Campbell, mixed reviews for Afghan planPfc. Rob Nunez, who spent eight months in Konar province near the Pakistani border, and some of his fellow soldiers have vastly different reactions to the plan. (By Kevin Sieff)

Does GOP have a compromise on debt?As President Obama prepares to meet with Senate leaders to try to restart talks over the debt, some Republicans see a potential path to compromise: Significant cuts in military spending. (By Lori Montgomery and Paul Kane)

A pair of veteran spies cross pathsBetty McIntosh and Doris Bohrer served in the OSS and CIA, but their remarkable friendship didn’t form until they moved to the same retirement community. (By Ian Shapira)

AP IMPACT: Once-rural populations skyrocket near some US nuclear plants, evacuations unlikely BUCHANAN, N.Y. — As America’s nuclear power plants have aged, the once-rural areas around them have become far more crowded and much more difficult to evacuate. Yet government and industry have paid little heed, even as plants are running at higher power and posing more danger in the event of an accident, an Associated Press investigation has found. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ask Amy: Husband ’fesses up to old affairs; wife is torn Her husband confessed to indulging in two affairs years ago. She went to counseling with him and was told by the counselor to “get over it.” A) She’s not ready to and B) What kind of therapist is that? (, Tribune Media Service)

PGA Tour: Travelers win is Jacobson’s first title CROMWELL, Conn. — Fredrik Jacobson closed out his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 66 in the Travelers Championship for a one-stroke victory over John Rollins and Ryan Moore. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Real Wheels Live Live online discussion with Real Wheels columnist Warren Brown about car-buying and the auto industry. (, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes! (, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes! (, vForum)

BUSINESSGreek deputies to begin debate on crucial austerity plans before votes ATHENS, Greece — Greek lawmakers begin debating new austerity plans Monday that must pass this week if the debt-ridden country is to receive the critical next installment of loans from its international bailout plan and avoid default. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

June 20, 2011

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS McIlroy captures history at CongressionalRory McIlroy posts the lowest mark in tournament history, shooting a final-round 69 for a total of 16-under 268, as he runs away with the 111th U.S. Open. (By Barry Svrluga)

CEO Pay: What the area’s executives makeHefty stock awards and bonuses drove total compensation up over 20 percent for Washington’s highest-paid chief executives last year, reflecting a nationwide trend among the largest public companies. (By Danielle Douglas)

STYLEAsk Amy: Words of love, uttered and ... forgotten? During a weekend outing, her boyfriend told her he loved her, would marry her “in a week” and wanted her to have his baby. The next day, he couldn’t remember what he said. Yes, there was drinking involved. (, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Special guest request Heloise asks: Is it fair to ask for unusual, specialty or hard-to-find food items when you are a guest in someone’s home? Readers, what do you have to say? (, King)

Calm by the green, crazed by the pitch At the U.S. Open and the Gold Cup, vastly dissimilar cultures were on display — entirely different, yet very much the same. ( by Rick Maese , The Washington Post)

FTC vs. National Gallery Republican lawmaker’s push to have the National Gallery take over the historic FTC building has sparked a turf battle in Washington. ( by Ned Martel , The Washington Post)

Sunday's Sports In Brief BETHESDA, Md. — On another brilliant day of golf, Rory McIlroy ran away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

WORLDReports: Japan's prime minister under pressure to resign next month TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, criticized for his handling of the tsunami disaster and the country’s sluggish economy, is under pressure to resign next month if budget bills are passed by parliament, reports said Monday. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

White House report on Libya does little to soothe anger among lawmakers on Capitol Hill WASHINGTON — The White House is vigorously defending President Barack Obama’s right to keep the U.S. military engaged in Libya without seeking congressional approval, a move that appears to have done little to soothe anger among Republican lawmakers and anti-war Democrats over the president’s consultations with Congress during the nearly three month-long campaign. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Miss Manners: Who wins in ‘culture’ clash? Dear Miss Manners: When cultural differences result in different expectations of the hostess and guest obligations, to whose culture should we defer; the hostess’s or the guest’s? (, United Media)

June 15, 2011

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTSA tough mission in AfghanistanA low-key Marine, Gen. John R. Allen, is set to take over the war at high-stakes moment.(By Craig Whitlock)

Nuclear waste dump is mired in inertiaYucca Mountain is a case study in government dysfunction and bureaucratic inertia. The project dates back three decades. It has not solved the problem of nuclear waste.(By Joel Achenbach and Brian Vastag)

Bachmann basks in newfound momentumRep. Michele Bachmann enjoyed a day of fundraising, media exposure and glowing analysis of her newfound momentum on Tuesday, following a strong presidential debate performance.(By Amy Gardner and Sandhya Somashekhar)

States seeking to save on MedicaidRepublican governors step up their resistance to rules requiring states to maintain current levels of health-care coverage for the poor and disabled under Medicaid.(By Michael A. Fletcher)

Graduating from elementary school?Dozens of elementary students in the D.C. area are celebrating what some critics call graduation inflation, the growth of ceremonies to mark the end of elementary school. (By Steve Hendrix)

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-QaidaWASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-QaidaWASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ask Amy: Military couple failing basic trainingA military couple who live in separate states, decided to set up joint checking and savings accounts to strengthen their bond. Alas, one side didn’t practice complete transparency. (, Tribune Media Service)

Tuesday's Sports In BriefNEW YORK — An end to the NFL lockout might not be imminent, but it does appears much closer than at any point in the last three months. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Attack on Afghan governor’s office kills 8MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed eight people and wounded four in a strike Wednesday on the governor’s office in a northeastern province, while a mortar targeted a building where NATO and Afghan officials were attending the inauguration of the country’s largest police training center in central Afghanistan. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

UK government to back proposals to separate banksLONDON — The British government intends to force banks to insulate their retail operations from their more volatile investment banking, a Treasury source confirmed Wednesday. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Romney will skip Iowa straw poll in AugustFormer Massachusetts governor, widely regarded as the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, has decided not to participate in this year’s Iowa straw poll nor any other early tests in advance of the 2012 primaries and caucuses, his campaign announced Thursday night. (By Philip Rucker and Chris Cillizza)

Senate legislation may slow, but quorums continueThe old ritual of calling senators to the Senate floor to bide time, “quorum calls,” has increased dramatically. Meanwhile, the amount of legislative business the body conducts is down. (By David A. Fahrenthold)

An embassy-in-exileAmerican diplomats who evacuated from Libya are still working — in a makeshift mission at the State Department. (By Mary Beth Sheridan)

Redistricting stalemate in Virginia The GOP-controlled Virginia House of Delegates and the Democratic-led state Senate approved conflicting plans for redistricting. ( by Rosalind S. Helderman , The Washington Post)

Ask Amy: Learning the truth about the past I come from a very large family — eight sisters and three brothers. By the time I was 8, my father and mother had both died. I went to live with my oldest sister (also the oldest child in the family) and her husband and his son. (, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Sanitizing a spa tub I am requesting a suggestion for deep-cleaning or sanitizing my spa tub. I’ve just cleaned it and scrubbed the jets with an old toothbrush. I want to be certain that all bacteria is gone so I can feel good about getting in my spa tub. (, King)

SPORTSThursday's Sports In Brief OSLO, Norway — Usain Bolt ran the fastest time in the world this season as he eased to victory in the 200 meters at a Diamond League meet, while Caster Semenya finished third behind Halima Hachlaf in the 800 meters. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Gates says NATO has a ‘dim’ future BRUSSELS — America’s military alliance with Europe — the cornerstone of U.S. security policy for six decades — faces a “dim, if not dismal” future, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday in a blunt valedictory address. ( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Karzai arrives in Pakistan for reconciliation talks Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Islamabad Friday for talks with top Pakistani leaders amid cautious hopes that the two nations can forge a coordinated strategy for reconciling with insurgents. ( by Griff Witte and Pamela Constable , The Washington Post)

June 06, 2011

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS Yemen’s Saleh flies to Saudi ArabiaPresident Ali Abdullah Saleh’s departure raised the prospect that a key U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda had lost his grip on a nation tumbling into chaos. (By Ernesto Londono and Sudarsan Raghavan)

Redesigning Metro’s mapLance Wyman, the creator of the transit system’s colorful map, has the challenge of redesigning the map more than three decades later. (By Dana Hedgpeth)

Wireless Net access, GPS on collision courseTwo of 21st-century America’s favorite gadgets — the smartphone and the GPS device — are on a collision course, according to a report delivered Friday to the FAA. (By Ashley Halsey III)

Egyptians say economy is top concernA U.S. government-funded poll finds most Egyptians say they backed the revolution because of their economic difficulties, not a lack of democracy. (By Mary Beth Sheridan)

Cut the costs, cache the cash A new cost-cutting effort by Montgomery County is encouraging employees to come up with ways to save taxpayers money. ( by Michael Laris , The Washington Post)

Sulaimon Brown shows money orders The former D.C. mayoral candidate says they were given to him by Howard Brooks as part of payments he says he received to disparage Mayor Fenty during the campaign. ( by Nikita Stewart , The Washington Post)

Waiting for the promise of high-speed rail Critics say Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell missed an opportunity when his administration decided not to apply for federal funds. ( by Anita Kumar , The Washington Post)

STYLEMiss Manners: Overwhelmed by photo requests I seem to be the only person in the last several years who has taken a camera to parties, family gatherings, school plays, etc.Afterward and sometimes during the event, I am asked to take pictures and “send” them to several people. (, United Media)

Ask Amy: This mom has had it with gift tradition Dear Amy:How can I (or should I?) tactfully end obligatory gift-giving among relatives who barely know one another? I suggested a couple of times that we end this tradition, but it was poorly received each time. (, Tribune Media Service)

LIVE DISCUSSIONSRecovering from the 2011 Post Hunt The Washington Post Hunt is a game of brainteasers, humor, puzzles and family fun dreamed up by Dave Barry, Gene Weingarten and Tom Shroder. The 2011 Post Hunt is set for June 5 in downtown Washington, D.C. (, vForum)

The 2011 Post Hunt: Are you ready? The Washington Post Hunt is a game of brainteasers, humor, puzzles and family fun dreamed up by Dave Barry, Gene Weingarten and Tom Shroder. The 2011 Post Hunt is set for June 5 in downtown Washington, D.C. (, vForum)

May 24, 2011

Looking for answers down tornado alley The latest tornado in Missouri has experts asking why 2011 has spawned so many deadly storms, with many blasting through heavily populated areas. (By Brian Vastag and Ed O’Keefe)

Report tracks earnings among the majors Over a lifetime, the earnings of workers who have majored in engineering, computer science or business are as much as 50 percent higher than the earnings of those who major in the humanities, the arts, education and psychology. (By Peter Whoriskey)

STYLEAsk Amy: Adults stuck on childhood favoritism Dear Amy:During childhood, my husband’s parents blatantly favored him at the expense of his siblings.For the 25 years we have been married, he, I, and our two children have been the target of his brother’s resentment, acted out at their family’s frequent gatherings. (, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Does tip include alcohol? Dear Heloise: I read the restaurant tipping hint in the Houston Chronicle. The reader suggests doubling the tax as an easy way to figure out the tip. This will work only if you don’t order alcoholic beverages. (Heloise here: This is not the case everywhere and in every situation.) (, King)

Miss Manners: Artist doesn’t want to give away personal information Dear Miss Manners:I live on a disability pension for a condition that is not readily apparent. I also occasionally sell works of art. When I am asked what I “do,” I usually state that I am an artist. Few are willing to leave it at this and persist with comments like “But you certainly can’t pay the rent with THAT!” (, United Media)

Take time to adjust to newly single status Getting divorced, and have reconnected with a 20-years-ago lost love. We’ve hit it off great, but she wants to be neither the rebound nor the transitional person. (, The Washington Post)

Ark Encounter Goes GreenFrom geothermal heating to rainwater collection, the creation park in Kentucky will feature the latest in green building technology.Read original story in The Washington Post | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

Boehner Elected House SpeakerAfter being designated the Republican nominee for the Speaker of the House in November, Rep. John A. Boehner (R-OH) officially took over the role from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) following his formal election this afternoon.Read original story in The Washington Post | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Anti-U.S. Cleric Returns to IraqAfter three years of voluntary exile in Iran, a radical Muslim cleric who led attacks against U.S. troops after the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003 has returned to Iraq.Read original story in New York Times | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Should Everyone Give Willow Palin a Break?She called a kid a "faggot" on Facebook, but is that grounds for universal condemnation? Several commentators say 16-year-olds should be able to run their mouths online without being endlessly analyzed by a bunch of adults with blogs.Read original story in Outside the Beltway | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

July 06, 2010

By Eugene Robinson ~ The good news is that unemployment has fallen to "only" 9.5 percent. The bad
news is that the jobless rate is down only because so many people have
given up hope of finding work. Perversely, the jobless who aren't
actively looking for jobs are not counted as "unemployed." Perhaps there
should be a new category: "mired in existential despair." If anyone in
Washington wants to know why people in the hinterlands are angry, one
simple answer is that our political leaders seem to be so calculating
and unmoved about the parlous state of the economy.

The disheartening employment figures released Friday quickly became
fodder for the kind of political to-and-fro that has become standard
operating procedure. President Obama quickly put his spin on the
numbers, noting that the private sector added 83,000 jobs in June. The
president's Republican opponents noted that overall, the economy lost
125,000 jobs -- taking into account not just the private-sector gain
but the end of 225,000 temporary jobs for census workers.

Last month, it was the other way around. The overall number, showing
what happened in May, indicated a healthy-looking gain in jobs -- so
that was what Obama wanted to talk about. But the increase reflected
mostly census hiring, with the private sector adding a paltry 41,000
jobs -- which was the number the Republicans wanted to highlight.

All the spinning and counterspinning drives people crazy. And why
shouldn't it? The employment numbers aren't just a monthly set of
partisan talking points. They represent actual lives. They represent
mortgages that might not be paid and college educations that have to be
deferred; they tally mental health crises and broken marriages. Those
sterile, emotionless figures speak of pain and anxiety. They mock our
faith in the American dream.

Let me put it in terms that Washington understands: The party that
begins to treat the unemployment crisis with the hair-on-fire urgency
that it deserves is the party that will do well in November.

In the past, a steep fall into recession has often led to an equally
steep climb back to prosperity. Clearly, that's not the case this time.
In relatively short order, the economy lost about 7 million jobs. So far
this year, we've gained back more than 600,000 -- not bad, given that
in early 2009 we were shedding that many jobs each month, but not nearly
enough to have the kind of impact the nation can really feel.

The debate among economists about whether or not this will prove to be a
"double-dip" recession is beside the point. For most people, this feels
more like one long, uninterrupted dip -- with no end in sight. Adding
83,000 private-sector jobs in June sounds like something of an
accomplishment, until you realize that the U.S. economy has to add more
than 125,000 jobs a month just to accommodate the natural growth of the
workforce. With a gain of 83,000 jobs, we actually lost ground.

Our political leaders know that unemployment is on their constituents'
minds, so they talk about it. A lot. But we're not seeing either party
show the kind of courage that's really needed.

Republicans block an extension of unemployment benefits, rail about
the deficit and complain that Democrats don't understand that economic
renewal will come when the private sector is unleashed. The problem is
that since Republicans are in the minority, they have to work with the
Democrats to get anything done. I suspect that their strategy --
standing on the sidelines and yelling, "The Democrats are doing it all
wrong!" -- will not win as much favor from voters as the GOP hopes.

Democrats, on the other hand, do have the power to enact an agenda. But
individual members of Congress act as if they are more concerned about
their own electoral prospects than about bringing those unemployment
numbers down. If a second economic stimulus is the answer, then that's
what Democrats should do. If the answer is something else, fine. But
they should know that whether they call themselves progressives or Blue
Dogs or whatever, voters see them as one party and will hold them
accountable.

Washington gets all excited when someone commits an embarrassing or
impolitic gaffe. Beyond the Beltway, people cannot understand why our
leaders can't be similarly focused and energetic about the most tragic
spasm of economic dislocation in eight decades.

May 25, 2010

From The Grio — According
to the blogs, BET has been busy in the last two months banning
videos by Teiarra Mari and Ciara and, this time, Ciara’s
fans are fuming mad. At the center of the current controversy is the video for Ciara’s
current single “Ride” featuring Ludacris. Captured
at various points in a revealing one piece swimsuit and a mink coat with
heels on as well as on top of a mechanical bull in a wet t-shirt and
super short jean shorts, Ciara looks far more sexually charged in “Ride”
than at any point in her debut video “Goodies.” Back in
2004, she was crooning “lookin for the goodies/keep on lookin’ ’cause
they stay in the jar.” Now, she’s proclaiming “he love the way I ride
it.

May 24, 2010

(CNN) -- One outfit at a time, Sheena Matheiken was determined
to make a change

She sported a simple, tunic-style dress for not
one, two or three days. She did it for 365 days
in a row.

The New York resident gave herself the fashion challenge of reinventing the same
black dress. She did it by adding colorful tights, funky shoes and
patterned tops, all donations from eco-friendly designers, thrift shops
and mail-in leftovers from strangers.

Her outfits varied. Some
were random, others organized; some bright, others muted; some classic,
others modern. For example, she dressed as an intergalactic goth mermaid
one day. The next, she became a modern hippie adorned with a floral
bandana and cutout tights.

Matheiken
completed her yearlong Uniform Project this month; the effort started a
year ago to raise money for the The Akanksha Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit
helping children in India's
slums attend schools. She raised enough money to send 233 children to
school for a year.

Matheiken also wanted to bring awareness to
sustainable fashion. That's not a bad lesson for those of us feeling the
recession's pinch.

CNN spoke to Matheiken about the Uniform
Project and her eclectic style.

CNN: Why did you decide to
pick a uniform?

Matheiken: First, giving yourself a
creative challenge requires giving yourself a constraint. I wanted to
recreate one dress for 365 days and have that test. I also have a
personal connection with uniforms. I grew up in India and went to a
Catholic school where we had to wear uniforms.

The cool thing
was that even with uniforms, there are so many subtle ways everyone
reinvents it so that all the idiosyncrasies of teenage adolescence come
out. Their personality came out in how you roll up the sleeves or add a
few accessories. I was very fascinated by all of this.

CNN:
I think we all have that white T-shirt in our closet. How do you jazz
up something plain?

Matheiken: Accessorizing can go a long
way to elevate something. Just a pair of tights or maybe if you have a
jacket, you can wear it over, and it will look chic and upscale. A white
shirt doesn't have to look like a white T-shirt.

CNN: For
some people, it's hard to mix and match. You seem to do it so
effortlessly. How?

Matheiken: There is so much of fashion
that is prescribed by magazine trends and looks that are seasonal. I
think that's the biggest problem with fashion. And some people really
are stressed about getting ready.CONTINUE READING...

ADHD Linked to PesticidesA new study out of Harvard found that children
who ingested a certain toxic pesticide used on fruits and vegetables
were more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder.Read
original story in Time | Monday, May
17, 2010

Iran Agrees to Nuclear Deal With Brazil, TurkeyIran will send some of its uranium to Turkey
in exchange for a smaller amount of uranium that has already been
enriched. Will the United States and its allies agree to this deal or
will they push the UN to impose sanctions anyway?Read original story
in The New York Times |
Monday, May 17, 2010

YouTube Turns Five, Celebrates New RecordOn average, users only spend 15 minutes on the
site, which is still struggling to turn a profit, but YouTube is now
hosting two billion video streams every day. That's more than twice the
audience of the three prime time TV stations in the U.S. combined.Read original
story in BBC | Monday, May
17, 2010

Tiger's Mistress Inks Playboy DealNightclub manager Rachel Uchitel will show the
world her top half in Hef's magazine for an undisclosed sum.Read original story
in TMZ | Monday, May
17, 2010

India Tests Ballistic MissileAfter failing twice last year, the Agni-II has
successfully launched. The intermediate-range missile is capable of
carrying a nuclear payload of 1,000 kg up to 1,250 miles.Read original story
in BBC | Monday, May
17, 2010

Rockers Remember Ronnie James Dio, 67Dio, who replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the lead
singer of Black Sabbath in 1979, died Sunday morning while battling
stomach cancer.Read original story in CNN | Monday, May
17, 2010

Steve Jobs: Apple Offers "Freedom From Porn"The head of Apple's habit of personally
responding to e-mails has once again made news when he traded e-mails
with an angry Gawker writer early on Saturday morning.Read original story
in Gawker | Sunday, May 16, 2010

Greece Might Take Legal Action Against U.S. BanksThe prime minister says he "wouldn't rule out"
the possibility that his government could try to hold American
investment banks legally responsible for contributing to the country's
debt crisis.Read original story in Bloomberg | Sunday, May 16, 2010

April 23, 2010

After 32 years as a morning radio personality in Washington, D.C., Donnie Simpson bid an emotional farewell to his listeners. According to the Washington Post, Simpson wept as he played Lionel Richie's "Jesus Is Love," his traditional closing song. This followed a parade of calls from celebrity well-wishers and other supporters. His four-hour show on WPGC-FM (95.5) spilled over an extra two hours to accommodate the phoned-in farewells from Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Wyclef Jean and other musicians whom Simpson has championed during his decades on the radio and as host of Black Entertainment Television's 'Video Soul.'....Simpson, who will be 56 on Saturday, was gracious and warm throughout his final program on the air. He thanked his listeners repeatedly, as well as his wife, Pam, his producer-son, D.J., and his colleagues.... Following the show, he treated fans and friends to lunch at Ben's Chili
Bowl, the same popular diner visited by President Barack Obama days
before his inauguration.SOURCE: Washington Post

lyvain White's latest film, 'The Losers,' which stars Jeffrey
Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Holt
McCallany, Oscar Jaenada, Jason Patric, and Peter
Macdissi, has debuted online.Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo comic books, 'Losers' centers
around a Special Forces team, who are set up and betrayed by their
enigmatic handler, Max, who soon discovers that you should never leave a
bunch of black-ops commandos for dead. The Losers regroup for revenge,
and to get their names off a pesky CIA death list. For issue after
issue, they conducted covert operations against the CIA, and sought to
uncover the plans and conspiracies of the powerful, secretive Max. Warner
Bros. will release the film in theaters on April 9.Somebody in Lil
Kim's camp must've had a come to Jesus convo with the
hip-hop surged "I used to be afraid of the d*ck" poet. Kim
recently appeared in public looking less like a
Disney villain and more like an African-American woman with facial
features that are movable. I must say, Kim is looking normal and damn
good!Apart of Nightline’s “Face off” series, the much talked about debate
“Why Can’t A Successful Black Woman Find A Man” airs tonight on ABC at
11:35pm (ET). Hosted by Vicki Mabrey and Steve Harvey, the panel
features Sherri Shephard co-host of the “The View,” Jacque Reid co-star
of VH1’s “Let’s Talk About Pep,” Jimi Izarel, author of “The Denzel
Principle” and “CSI” star and author, Hill Harper. Umm…we can’t imagine
what kind of new information will be shed on the issue. We’re all pretty
exhausted with the topic. Are you watching? Check out some snippets her

Sistas sure do spend plenty of time putting our men in their places.
Checkin’ them. Givin’ them the business. Letting them know when they’re
wrong, how wrong they are and how quick they ‘betta’ get done with that
wrongness. We have an arsenal of friends, sisters, Sorors and co-workers
to dog them out with, ready to co-sign on black men’s trifling,
no-good-doin’ ways. And we have a dozen or more media outlets we use to
vent about their shortcomings and failings, their problems and issues,
their failures and faults. (Essence for one, has a tumultuous
love/hate relationship with them, always willing to dedicate a good
amount of real estate vocalizing our collective complaints about black
men and then giving us 12 instructional pages on how to find one.) SOURCE...CLUTCH MAGAZINE

Shocking news as the principal of Woodland Middle School in Henry
County, New Jersey, has come under fire over rapper T.I.‘s recent
appearance. Parent we offended that T.I. spoke to their children and
were not notified. Clifford Harris is a great father and family man, he
just happens to be the rapper T.I., it sounding like the parents just
wanted to see the rapper. but the appearance has cause and huge issue at
the school now.

According
to AllHipHop,
T.I., born Clifford Harris Jr., appeared at the school on March 5th and
spoke to students.Parents of some students took issue with the fact that they were not
notified of who would be speaking to their children. T.I., who was recently released from a halfway house to house arrest
with a curfew, served a year in prison for attempting to buy multiple
machine guns with silencers. As part of his probation, the rapper was sentenced to 1,500 hours of
community service, 1,000 of which were completed prior to his prison
sentence.He flew around the country visiting middle schools, recreational
centers and various Boys & Girls Clubs, where he encouraged teens
to stay away from drugs, violence and gangs.

Well FORBES Magazine just released the 10 wealthiest Black Americans
in the US. Wow, this is shocking though guess who dropped off the top
10. No 50 Cent? And Jay Z jumps up…no Diddy and Russell Simmons doesn’t
make the top 20 cut.

Flip it to get it….

1. Oprah Winfrey – Net worth of $2.7 billion

2. Tiger Woods – Net worth $600 million

3. Robert Johnson – Founder of BET – Net worth $550
million (he took a hit during the recession)

February 16, 2010

By Leslie Pitterson Memo to black girls everywhere: John Mayer may think you’re
attractive, but he probably won’t be taking you home to meet his mama.

Oh, wait. You already knew that didn’t you? Did you have a feeling? Woo-hoo?

Now look, before all the “she hates her brown skin” mess starts, I
want to preface this by saying that I am a black girl who loves herself
and loves being black. I am not secretly self loathing nor am I the
‘kill-whitey’ type either. I am, like most people, somewhat hard to
explain. I went through a prepster phase in middle school, but I wore
Kente cloth for my children’s choir performances at church in the
Bronx. My home is full of laughter, curry goat and reggae music on
Sundays but I went to school with friends who played lacrosse,
summer-ed in the Hamptons and introduced me to indie music- and John
Mayer.

When Mayer dropped Room for Squares, he became a staple in my fold
out CD case. His lyrics were detailed and lush. I mean who says things
like “I love the shape you take while crawling to the pillowcase.” He
could play guitar like nobody’s business (fast forward to his riffing
to “Human Nature” at MJ’s memorial service). To this day, there are few
artists who can cover classics like Tom Perry’s “Free Fallin’” and make
them new again while simultaneously hopping on new joints and
making them hot (see his collab with Wale on “Letters”).

John Mayer has been sampled by Kanye and Common, been featured on
tracks with Alicia and was even background music to the infamous Merwin
1st season split on Mara Broc Akil’s The Game. Besides
Memphis’ own Justin Timberlake and Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin,
there have not been too many white boys who hip-hop embraced. And now
two weeks into black history month, I find myself sitting here asking
the question- how, Mr. Mayer, how did you screw this up? CONTINUE READING...

Within hours of his Playboy interview going online, John
Mayer got subjected to a twitter scolding like I have not seen since
Chris Matthews forgot Barack was black (that was just two weeks ago you
say? Yes. My point exactly.) In the now notorious (no Biggie pun
intended) interview for the March issue of Playboy,
John Mayer talks in detail about his relationship with Jen Aniston,
Jessica Simpson (whom he calls “sexual napalm”), his addiction to porn
and then the two topics that have lead to the
“John-Mayer-is-a-secret-racist” charge: 1. having a hood pass and 2.
having a “Benetton heart” and a “David Duke d*ck.”

On being asked how it feels to have a hood pass, Mayer said,

“…it’s sort of a contradiction in terms, because if
you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger pass. Why are
you pulling a punch and calling it a hood pass if you really have a
hood pass? But I said, “I can’t really have a hood pass. I’ve never
walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, ‘We’re
full.’”

January 13, 2010

The Rev. Al Sharpton on
Monday said he was disturbed by condescending remarks reportedly made
by former President Bill Clinton about Barack Obama during the 2008
campaign. Sharpton was referring to a passage in the new book, "Game Change,"
which recounts the conversation Clinton had with the late Sen. Ted
Kennedy when he was trying to convince the liberal lion of the Senate
to endorse his wife for president.

"A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee,"
Clinton told Kennedy, according to the book -- a comment that angered
Kennedy, who later endorsed Obama.

Sharpton, speaking on Fox News, defended Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid over a passage in the book in which he said Obama doesn't
have a "Negro dialect" unless he wants one. But the reverend would not
give Clinton such a pass for his remark.

"I think that's far more disturbing because this is someone seeking
to stop Mr. Obama's campaign and making a direct reference -- I don't
know the context in which he said it -- but that is far more disturbing
to me than even the comments that were made by Mr. Reid," Sharpton
said.

Sharpton and other civil rights leaders last took on Clinton during
the Democratic presidential primaries, after the former president
compared Obama's win in the South Carolina contest to Jesse Jackson's
victories in the state two decades earlier. Sharpton brought up the
South Carolina flare-up Monday in discussing the "coffee" remark.

"If someone said that he would have been getting us coffee like that
in the context they said he said it, that would be very offensive to
me, and I would definitely take Mr. Clinton on as I did in South
Carolina," Sharpton said.

He said Clinton has not yet called him over the report, "So I guess I'll have to make the call." CONTINUE READING...

December 14, 2009

Smoking marijuana is becoming even more popular among U.S. teens and they have cut down on smoking cigarettes, binge drinking and using methamphetamine, according to a federal survey released Monday. More teens also are getting high on prescription pain pills and attention-deficit drugs, according to eighth, 10th and 12th graders surveyed by the University of Michigan for the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The increase of teens smoking pot is partly because the national debate over medical use of marijuana can make the drug's use seem safer to teenagers, researchers said. In addition to marijuana, fewer teens also view prescription drugs and Ecstasy as dangerous, which often means more could use those drugs in the future, said White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske. The "continued erosion in youth attitudes and behavior toward substance abuse should give pause to all parents and policy-makers," Kerlikowske said. "These latest data confirm that we must redouble our efforts to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preventing and treating drug use," Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in remarks prepared for his Monday speech at the National Press Club in Washington. Marijuana use, while well off peak levels of the late 1990s, has edged up. According to the study of 47,097 students, among this year's 12th graders, 20.6 percent said they used it within the past month, compared with 19.4 percent in 2008 and 18.3 percent in 2006. Among 10th graders, pot use in the past month rose to 15.9 percent this year from 13.8 percent in 2008. "The upward trending of the past two or three years stands in stark contrast to the steady decline that preceded it for nearly a decade," said Lloyd Johnston, who has directed the annual survey since it started in 1975. The percentage of eighth-graders who saw a "great risk" in occasionally smoking marijuana fell from 50.5 percent in 2004 to 48.1 percent in 2008 and 44.8 percent this year. The perceived danger of using Ecstasy once or twice fell among eighth graders, from 42.5 percent in 2004 to 26 percent in 2009.

September 2012

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